ALABAMA HOUSE PRIORITIZES LIFE

Montgomery — Forty-one years after the U.S. Supreme Court’s controversial Roe v. Wade decision, Alabama House Republicans are continuing to fight for the rights of the unborn. Since that decision, more than half a million abortions have taken place in the state of Alabama, and over 50 million nationwide.

Alabama House Republicans have passed pro-life legislation that protects the health and safety of women, ensures abortions aren’t performed after 20 weeks, and encourages abortion alternatives like adoption.

“I’m proud that under Republican leadership the Alabama House has prioritized life over the past three years and passed several meaningful pieces of pro-life legislation,” said Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn). “While activist judges on the U.S. Supreme Court have made it illegal for us to ban abortion, we have made great strides towards protecting the rights of the unborn in Alabama.”

Today, the Alabama House will consider an Adoption Tax Credit by Rep. Paul Lee (R-Dothan), which will provide a $1,000 income tax credit to an Alabama resident who adopts an Alabama child either through a private adoption or through the state foster care system.

“My wife, Ellen, and I are the proud parents of a beautiful and loving adopted daughter, but many families that want to adopt are not as lucky as ours and struggle greatly with the associated costs involved,” Lee said. “By providing this tax credit, we can give hope to couples who desperately want to be parents, and we can open the door to permanent, loving homes for thousands of children who are currently in foster care and similar settings.”

Just yesterday, the House passed the Healthcare Rights of Conscience bill by Rep. Becky Nordgren (R-Gadsden) which ensures that medical professionals are not forced to participate in procedures that violate their moral compass, including abortion, human cloning, human embryonic stem cell research, and sterilization.

Pro-life efforts have been a cornerstone of House Republicans’ efforts throughout the past quadrennium.

In 2011, The Pain Capable Unborn Child Act by Rep. Kerry Rich (R-Albertville) banned abortions performed on unborn children beginning at 20 weeks, the point at which scientific studies have demonstrated the unborn child can experience pain.

Last year’s Women’s Health and Safety Act sponsored by Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin (R-Indian Springs) makes it clear that when women choose to have an abortion it will be performed in the safest environment possible.

Finally, Rep. Mike Jones (R-Andalusia) sponsored the Best Interest of the Child Act which helped move children into permanent adoptive homes more quickly by shortening timelines for DHR and judges, ultimately shortening the legal process for parents to adopt.